Hector
Hector made his first appeareance in Planeshifted. He used to be a sailor on the ship Victoria, but his crew was attacked my pirates and he was thrown overboard. He washed ashore on a port town know as Dirk. There is where his story begins. Background The Old Home Hector was born in the great port town of Subir. It is the shipping capital of the world and is known for importing thousand on tons of cargo every day. Hector lived a normal sailor life on the small caravel, Victoria. He and his crew were traveling to a small island to collect rich spices that they would sell to the merchants of Subir, but the tides turned on hectors normal life. A band of pirates intercepted them along their journey and killed most of Hectors crew. Whoever was left, including Hector, were thrown overboard to die in the sea. Hector washed up along the small port settlement known as Dirk. He then sought refuge in a small inn. There he found a Centaur who called himself Sven and an elf known as Searil. This was unusual because in all of Hector’s travels he had rarely ever encountered anything else but humans. Hector tried to steer clear of the Centaur because he knew of tales about their skill and power in battle and did not want to cross paths with it. Hector bought the Inn’s special, bubbling black slagger, which made him fall unconscious. Needless to say, he stayed the night in the inn. Continue the Story on Planeshifted The New Home Hector finds himself to become good friends with Duran. They sail for a couple months until they are forced to make refuge on a rundown, slummy city. They meet a band of rouges who identify themselves as "Stalkers." They happily invite Duran and Hector into their home and teach Hector a little in their art of combat. Duran however, being naturally mistrusting, journeys off on his own, and Hector decides to stay longer and train in the stalker's art. Hector and Duran hate to leave each other, for they are the only remnants left of their old home, but they know that one day, fate will draw them back together. Hector catches onto the style of a stalker very quickly, which greatly impresses his teachers. However, Hector soon learns that the stalkers have a darker side to them. For what they call Hector's "graduation" he must kill an innocent civilian of their picking in cold blood. Hector has a good heart and declines their offer. The stalkers, however, are not going to let Hector off so easily. When Hector looked into one of the stalker's eyes, he suddenly perceived everything the stalker said as benevolent and morally justified. He remembers little of his actions up until the point he was standing over a little girl, the mark the stalkers had set for him. The retired sailor was furious and immediately left the city, never to look back. The three years he had spent in what he thought his "new home" was wasted, or so he thought. However, he will soon learn that the world of Faerun is unlike his home world, for it is dangerous and merciless. The skills he learned here may one day save his life. Description Hector has dark, medium length hair and light blue eyes. Because of an encounter with Barrabus the Gray he is missing his left ring finger. He is serious and thoughtful, and will try to risk his life to save others if he sees that it is not a lost cause. He tries to take a strategic appraoch and is not afraid to take risks. The three years he has spent in Faerun has caused him to be slightly mistrusting of others. He is graceful in combat and relies on his own instincts and reflexes rather than armor. The art of the Stalker has given him more control over the energies within his body, which has caused him to grow wiser and stronger. The Art of the Stalker The stalkers Hector met focus on a discipline called The Steel Serpent. "Practice of the Steel Serpent discipline dates back to ancient times, hailing from those whose work was only practiced in the dark of night, in hidden cabals dedicated to the art of killing. Steel Serpent disciples practice the art of the silent kill, using stealth, trickery, and poison in addition to martial combat skill and knowledge of anatomy. Masters of this discipline are marvels of deadly precision, their very touch capable of killing the strongest of men through the manipulation of their ki used as a deadly weapon. This ki manipulation causes the disciple’s very energies to become a supernatural poison in and off itself. Swiftness and deadly precision are hallmarks of this discipline, and those that use it are known for making use of more exotic weapons. Knowledge of anatomy (of both targets and the self) is also incredibly important, as well as the knowledge of ki manipulation and how to effect the energies of the body." '' Hector has always been one to focus on a few precise strikes, and the Steel Serpent discipline has improved upon those skills. The stalkers educated him on an advanced knowledge of anatomy. They have showed him locations on the body that don't only hurt but kill quickly. This fighting style is more advanced than anything he had ever seen in his home world. Although not very enthusiastic about using poisons, he still learned how to use them very effectively. Hector first looked at this art as dark and cruel, but he soon learned that in the world of Faerun, he must fight fire with fire. The Lycanthrope Condition On 12 Hammer 1482 DR, Hector was inflicted with the Cure of the Lycanthrope from a wererat and is currently unaware of his condition. The wererats that ambushed them were sent by the Shadow Thieves to retrieve Hector's head for their leader, Deepshadows. Nobody is aware of his condition, although Hector does notice his heightened senses and an improved understanding of the world around him ''''